1913 Frank Chance Booster Club Pinback

With the close of the 1912 season, the Cubs thanklessly placed their manager Frank Chance on the waiver block. In December, Cincinnati seized the opportunity, but they too waived him three days later. The New York Highlanders then promptly adopted the Peerless Leader that they might improve their lot in American League competition. And so, under new field management, and a new name – the "Yankees" – the erstwhile Highlanders forged ahead into the 1913 campaign with renewed optimism. Shortly after taking the Yankee reins, Chance was featured on this commercial celluloid pin. At 1" in diameter, the piece projects the photo image of a much younger Frank Chance, and about its perimeter is cited "Member of the News … FrankChance Booster Club." Furthermore, the pin bears a smaller caption noting the date "May 11 1913." The date reference on this pin remains a mystery (though six days later, "Frank Chance Day" was celebrated in Chicago). As well, there was no daily paper in New York at the time familiarly known as the "News." The riddle enshrouding this pin notwithstanding, it is yet a splendid memento that traces its lineage to the first declared manager of the New York Yankees. With a light glaze of rust in the reverse, and obverse imagery that's minutely off-center, we advance this antique as EX/MT.